Bookends Episode 3: Second World War Historical Fiction with Alison Pick

Bookends is an exciting new online series that is right up Open Book's alley. Torontonians Justine Lewkowicz and Stephanie Morano have teamed up to promote dynamic conversation about contemporary books in diverse genres.

Justine Lewkowicz interviews authors, bookstore owners and in-the-know literary geeks to find out what’s happening in the world of books. In each episode of Bookends she'll take on a new book to explore the elements of its genre and find out what makes it tick. Then she'll seek out recommendations from local experts so that you'll have somewhere to go once your curiosity is peaked.

In this episode she explores Second World War historical fiction with Alison Pick, whose novel Far to Go (House of Anansi Press) was inspired by her grandparents' experience in Czechoslovakia before World War II and their decision to hide their Jewish identity after fleeing to Canada.

If you're intrigued by historical fiction, Ben McNally has some recommendations for you for other great novels based on the events of the Second World War. These books, along with Far to Go, can be found at of Toronto's Ben McNally Books.

For more about information about Bookends and to view past episodes, please visit the Bookends website.